Success Story: Mark and The Renewal Program

Improving the financial stability of an individual or a family can take several forms. Sometimes, people need guidance on how to budget and save the money they are making. Sometimes, they need help with credit repair so that they can purchase an asset like a home. Sometimes, they need help improving their education so that they qualify for higher paying jobs. And sometimes, they also need health services that will allow them to be productive employees. That was the case for Mark.

In the fall of 2011, 38 year old Mark went to Talbot House, one of our partner agencies, stating that he was “broken, beat, and confused” both mentally and physically. Mark never knew his father, and his mother neglected him. With no parental love or support, Mark left school in the seventh grade and became deeply involved in drug culture, although he was able to work in construction jobs. At 19, he married and had a daughter, but his lifestyle caused his wife to leave him when he was thirty. A subsequent toxic relationship slowly unraveled his already precarious existence. Eventually, everything fell apart, and Mark lost his roofing job and his place of residence. With no income, no home, no transportation, and no prospects for employment, Mark realized that he had hit rock bottom and had to turn his life around.

He entered Talbot House with a severe hernia that needed immediate attention. Once that physical healing was taken care of, Mark was able to start focusing on his mental health. He began attending several classes that have taught him how to move forward in his new life, including how to maintain his healthy lifestyle, dealing with the grief of the losses in his life, and making good lifestyle choices. Along with these, he also participated in life skills classes to learn how to budget, handle a bank account, and prepare a resume.

While all of those changes were taking place, Mark took the TABE test to enter the GED program and was surprised to see how well he scored. He attended GED preparation classes every day. In November of 2012, not only did Mark pass the GED test, he scored so well that he was awarded a full high school diploma. Now, through the help of Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Mark has entered the Diesel Mechanic program at Traviss Career Center, where his tuition, books, and transportation are all covered by Talbot House.

At United Way of Central Florida, we work with our partners to make measurable, lasting changes in our community through programs that address the building blocks of a good quality of life: education, income, and health. Mark’s story shows the interconnected nature of those three foundations. Now that he is healthy, both physically and mentally, and he has improved his education in order to find higher paying work, he will be able to maintain a financially stable life in the future.